VACANCY
Admire bark and leaves;
Delight in flowers and fruits;
But revere roots: hidden; beneath.Binding may be fine or shabby; paper thick or feeble;
Printing delicate or coarse; wording easy or awkward;
But is the meaning clear, or obscure?
The sage is but a bundle of clothes with a stick,
Not too many words, few gestures and a gaze;
But wisdom overflows from emptiness within!
Vacant?
See!
Taking
time to stand and stare is time well spent. Making space to
sit down and take it easy is space well used.
Stilling or clearing the mind plays an
important part in many religious traditions, from Quakers to Zen Buddhists.
The device of a clear and uncluttered
'sacred space', as distinct from sacred objects
or icons, is also found in many religions.
It may act
symbolically as a portal of spiritual power, as with Shinto
gateways; or as a refuge from it, as in the Occult pentacle.
